C. Box - Nowhere to Run

Joe continued, “They told me they were from the UP, but it didn’t click at the time. And the fact they ran a meat-processing company explains how professionally they were able to butcher the elk and my horses.”

Coon nodded. “They were supposed to go to Nevada. There were sweet auto mechanic jobs all lined up for them. But en route, just about a hundred miles from here in Wyoming, they overpowered their federal escort and took off. Needless to say, they never showed up in Nevada. We lost track of them completely, but our agency was told to keep an eye out for them. Until you gave your statement, we had no idea where they ended up.”

Rulon said, “And I would have never put this all together except for Senator McKinty himself. As I said, I’ve been tangling with him for a couple of years, because he’s the chairman of the Natural Resources Committee and he refused to release mineral severance payments to the State of Wyoming that are owed to us. We’re talking hundreds of millions. He wants all that money to stay in Washington so he can siphon it off, the prick. He wouldn’t answer my letters or take my calls until this week. Now, all of a sudden, his staff said he’s rethinking his opposition to releasing the funds. But there’s a condition. He wants the Clines-or the Grim Brothers-to be left alone up there in the mountains. They made up this goofy story of wanting to look out for their former constituents, but I saw right through that. He doesn’t want them to resurface and start talking.”

Joe said to Coon, “So why’d you talk to the governor?”

Coon shook his head. “There’s only so much I can take. I just want to do my job out here and solve crimes and put bad guys in prison. I don’t want any part of deals cut in D.C. between senators and attorneys general. I’ve got a son. I want to be able to look him in the eye. And I want to be able to look at myself in the mirror.”

Joe said, “You are a good man.”

Coon smiled. “I’m a bad bureaucrat, though.”

“That makes two of us.”

Nate said to the governor, “Hold it. McKinty just wants the Clines, or the Grim Brothers, left alone ?”

Rulon said, “He didn’t say it in so many words, but yes, that’s what his staff is asking.”

Nate shook his head. “That doesn’t make sense. He doesn’t want them left alone. He wants them silenced. That’s the only way he can skate on this.”

Rulon said, “He’s a U.S. senator. He’s not a killer, for Christ sake. Man, I thought I was cynical.”

Nate said, “When did he approach you about the deal?”

The governor said, “Last week. Why?”

Nate said, “Because I think he wanted you to not put any more effort into finding those brothers right away until he could take care of it himself. I wouldn’t be surprised if he, or his son, or the developer, or the facility general manager-whoever could do it at arm’s length and not directly involve McKinty in any way-sent a team up there to solve the problem once and for all. And it wouldn’t surprise me if he reneged on his offer once he got confirmation that the Clines were no more.”

Rulon turned to Carson while pointing his finger at Nate. “This son of a bitch should be our point man in Washington. He’s got a vicious and devious mind.”

“No, thanks,” Nate said. “I used to work for them. I know how they think, and how they operate. The question is, did the team he sent out find the Clines?”

Joe stood up, fighting a wave of nausea. He said, “And is Diane alive and well? Or did they get her, too?”

Nate stood as well. “I wouldn’t be surprised, based on what Joe experienced, to find out that it’s McKinty’s team that’s taking a dirt nap and not the brothers. But there’s only one way we’re going to find that out.”

Joe stared out the window at the governor’s plane and the tumbleweeds rolling down the runway. He said, “They called me a government man. Now I know why they went after me.”

Coon said, “We’re all government men, Joe.”

“Not me,” Nate said proudly.

“So,” Joe said to the governor, “where do we stand?”

Rulon didn’t hesitate. “Go up there and rescue that woman and bring those brothers out dead or alive.”

Carson turned white. “Sir, you can’t give an order like that.”

“I just did.”

Joe stood and clamped his hat on. Nate stood with him.

“Do you need more people?” Rulon asked Joe. “I could have a dozen DCI agents here by nightfall. I can send them back in Rulon One.”

Joe shook his head, said, “I think the smaller the footprint the better. Those brothers own those mountains, and they know when a big contingent is after them, I think. A big group makes lots of noise and raises dust and quiets the wildlife. That’s why I stumbled on Caleb on my own while Sheriff Baird and his men couldn’t find them at all. I think the leaner the better.”

“Meaning you and Mr. Romanowski here,” Rulon said.

Joe nodded. “Plus, I have a pretty good idea where they hang out.”

“Go get those bastards, then,” Rulon said, narrowing his eyes. “Get them the hell out of my state. Send ’em back to Michigan, either vertical or horizontal-I don’t have strong feelings either way.”

Nate was out of the room before Joe could speak.

Rulon said, “Is he still with you?”

Joe shrugged. “I’m not sure.”

“Would you go alone?”

“Probably not.”

Rulon blew out a long breath and looked to Carson for solace. Carson looked away.

“Two questions,” Joe said to Rulon. “One, what was the name of the developer in Michigan?”

Rulon shrugged and turned to Coon. “Do you know?”

Coon smiled wearily. “Brent Shober,” he said.

Joe said, “Thought so. Second question. How will the state cope with the loss of money from the feds if Senator McKinty finds out you sent me up there?”

Rulon said, “That’s a good question, Joe. Very politically astute. You’re learning, aren’t you?”

“Not that I’m proud of it,” Joe said.

Rulon put his beefy hands on Joe’s shoulders and leaned his face close. Joe could feel the heat from the governor’s forehead. “If you bring those brothers down the mountain, we have a news story on our hands,” Rulon said. “The story can be spun however we want it to be spun. Meaning McKinty might just find himself in the news again for the wrong reason. It’ll be up to him how he plays it.”

“But if we don’t find the Cline Brothers and Diane Shober?” Joe asked.

Rulon said, “I’m screwed. You’re screwed. We’re all screwed.”

The stopover in Rawlins with the governor had cost Joe two hours and a big chunk of his sense of purpose, he thought. Still, he was worried about getting to the trailhead in the Sierra Madre before dark. As he and Nate traveled west via I-80, Joe called Marybeth on his cell phone and filled her in on the meeting that had taken place with the governor. He was keenly aware of Nate’s presence in the passenger seat. Nate sat sullen and still, his eyes fixed on something in the middle distance out the side window. He was no doubt thinking whether or not he even wanted to be on this adventure anymore.

“So do you think the Shobers were withholding information from you?” Marybeth asked.

Joe said, “I’m not sure yet. Each of them might be withholding different things. If they don’t know it was the Cline Brothers up there in the first place, there wasn’t anything for them to come clean about. It’s possible Mr. Shober knows something, but I’m not sure. I think he’s focused solely on finding Diane.”

“But still,” Marybeth said, “the Michigan connection is just too. convenient. There has to be something there.”